The invention relates to metalized recording papers based on metalized varnish coatings applied to paper and to a process for their manufacture. These papers are used in recording processes in electronic data processing.
Commercially available papers of this type are coated with a black-pigmented nitrocellulose varnish which contains zinc stearate as a flatting agent. These coatings are prepared from nitrocellulose varnishes containing organic solvents. They contain zinc stearate as a flatting agent, since it has been found that, in these varnishes, mineral fillers cannot be used as flatting agents. On recording papers bearing data, the extremely thin metal layer has been removed at well defined points, and the varnish coating is bared. To evaluate the papers, the latter are brought into contact with highly sensitive metal brushes. When mineral fillers are present in the varnish film, abrasion is so great that the brushes must be frequently replaced. Since zinc stearate does not cause such abrasion, only this flatting agent could be used.
For industrial safety reasons, it was desirable to replace the nitrocellulose varnishes dissolved in organic solvents by varnish systems which are aqueous or dilutable with water.